Aleksander Čeferin will present the 2023 UEFA President's Award to German national team legend Miroslav Klose.
Miroslav KloseThe UEFA President's Award recognises outstanding achievement, professionalism and exceptional personal qualities. The former Germany forward fits these characteristics perfectly. Klose was not only an outstanding striker: two instances of exemplary fair play proved his exceptional class and sportsmanship, unrivalled in the world of football. Two unprecedented instances of fair-play epitomised exceptional class and integrity.
Twice in his illustrious career, Klose refused to capitalise on refereeing errors, favouring integrity over his team's potential advantage.
In 2005, Klose, who played for Werder, collided with Arminia goalkeeper Matthias Hein in the penalty area. The goalkeeper received a yellow card and Arminia received a penalty in their own goal. However, Klose insisted that the goalkeeper had played the ball and the penalty should be cancelled. The referee subsequently reviewed the moment of play and cancelled the penalty and yellow card.
Seven years later, in a match between Napoli and Lazio, Klose again showed his qualities. Klose seemed to have opened the scoring with a header early in the match, but the striker did not hesitate to tell the referee that he had helped himself with his hand to redirect the ball past Napoli goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis. That led to the decision being overturned.
"Throughout football's glorious history, only a few have possessed an aura of excellence that is hard to replicate. Miroslav Klose is one such player. Klose's journey, from a humble player in the early days to the top scorer in World Cup history, is a testament not only to determination and skill, but also to a sporting spirit that pushes the boundaries of professionalism and the sport itself. His behaviour and determination to stand up for what is right serves as an example for generations of athletes around the world," said Aleksander Čeferin.
After his playing career ended, Klose moved into coaching and continued to contribute to the development of football. His knowledge and experience continues to inspire new generations of players. His game intelligence, integrity and ability to mould a winning mindset have stayed with Klose forever.
The award will be presented to Klose at the UEFA Champions League 2023/2024 group stage draw for the UEFA Champions League on 31 August at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
